barry

Windham and Rhodes were the unified WCW/NWA World Tag Team Champions here. Dr. Death’s original partner was supposed to be the late Terry Gordy, but Gordy left WCW just before this show, as a sign of loyalty to All-Japan found Giant Baba; WCW had begun striking up a working relationship with All-Japan’s rival New Japan. Gordy’s replacement was Stunning Steve Austin, who would leave WCW a few years after this show, and would appear sporadically on the indepedent circuit before retiring. If I remember that correctly.

The Dusty finish aside, this match was rolling along quite nicely. The booking of Windham, at this point, was decidedly confusing and Windham wound up back in the WWF as The Widowmaker, albeit very briefly.

Barry is first asked about his amateur wrestling background. He started out when he was in junior high and said he got his ass beat but improved and ended up going to Florida St. for a year but said he did not do that well and wanted to be a professional wrestle and left after a year.

He said he became a fan of professional wrestling at 15 years old and said after watching that was what he wanted to do for a living.

After college, Barry trained under Boris Malenko. He said that he trained for a year and a half until he wrestled in his first match. He talks about how it was hard to break into the business because there were no schools and gave Boris $600.

When he trained, Barry said that he was taking bumps on mats for six weeks then after that, got to use a ring. He also said that he trained with both Dean and Joe Malenko. He said that he did a few months of shooting but most of the training was working. He also said the only other one of the twenty-five trainees to make it through the camp was Al Perez.

Barry said he had his first professional match took place in 1979. He also was asked about working in the WWWF for Vince McMahon Sr. Barry said he learned a lot from the veterans and said he just listened and did not talking, stating that is how you learn.

He is asked about the differences between Vince Sr. and his son. He said that Sr. was more old school and that Vince Jr. was more innovative.

The interview is back after Barry nearly choked on a B-12 tablet. His first match was against Frank Martinez, who went by “Dr. Death.” He talks about how he gave the guy an armdrag then applied an armbar when Martinez told him that he must have been trained by Malenko.

Barry talks about wrestling in small towns, primarily in bars, against Dean Malenko for a year then after that, Boris gave him a sheet of paper that had phone numbers of Stu Hart, Gorilla Monsoon, and for the Puerto Rico territory and eventually moved to New Jersey and called up Gorilla at the age of 21 and that was how he got invited to the television tapings.

He talks about the tapings and how he would work 3-4 matches a night. His first was against Angelo Mosca Sr. and his second was against Don Muraco. Barry was an enhancement talent for a year there and barely got in any offense. He remembers Gorilla saying how they already had a lot of superstars in the company.

After the WWWF, he went to work in Florida. He is asked about Lex Luger at that time. Barry said that he looked good but couldn’t really work. He also believes that Luger was in the business for just three weeks when he defeated Wahoo McDaniel for the Southern Title in a lumberjack match.

Barry is asked about being managed by Percy Pringle (Paul Bearer) as part of the “Pringle Dynasty” stable along with Len Denton, Rip Oliver, Rick Rude, and eventually Lex Luger.

He left Florida for Memphis and worked as “Stretcher” Jack Hart. He said that he was only there for about four months. Barry liked Jerry Jarrett and said that he did not speak much with Jerry Lawler but was not impressed by his work and thought he was full of himself. He puts over his punch but said he is into a more technical style of wrestling.

Barry then talks about how he wrestled as “Bret Hart” and thinks Michael Hayes gave him that name.

Now, Barry is asked about Vince’s National expansion. He said that he had a job and a contract at the time and was not worried. He said that when he was with the WWWF, he asked about getting bookings on house shows and they did not have room but they made a call and got him to work for Crockett.

He talks about breaking his neck for Vince Jr. in the early 1990’s and that when he healed and wanted to come back, Vince told him there was no room for him in the company as they brought in Black Bart, Pez Whatley, and Buddy Rose to fill his position so he went to WCW for a year.

Now, he is asked about working with some guys. He said that Terry Gibbs was his favorite partner and that he is now a supervisor for US Air in Pittsburgh. He said that Dynamite Kid was stiff in the ring but not trying to hurt you and that working with Davey Boy Smith was a night off in the ring.

Barry is now asked about the term “jobber.” He said that it is a shit name. He said that some guys deserve that name, like guys who do not hit the gym and can only take hip tosses. However, Barry said that he puts guys over as he can go in the ring a big guy or a technician and wrestle a long match. He also said that there has to be a guy that loses and that it hasn’t hurt his career one bit as he never wasted his money.

He is asked about Tom Magee and how he lost to Barry in one of his last matches in 1989. Barry does not recall that but said that he had a resume of all sorts of athletic accomplishments and was 6’5 270lbs. He also said how he was in the territory at the same time as the Ultimate Warrior and might have been better but Magee never panned out and said he was respectful and polite.

When asked about the Ultimate Warrior, Barry said that he doesn’t even want to bring him up and said that he was nice and humble at first but changed and hated working with him afterwards. He claims that the Warrior could never get over today as the fans want to see suplexes and highspots and not someone shake the ropes. Barry then tells a story about working with the Warrior at a TV taping when after the match, Warrior was in the locker room bitching to the Bulldogs about how Barry had worked in the business for 10 years and could not get up for a press slam. Barry says that he went up for him and had taken the move from guys like Hercules and Luger who were strong enough to pick him up without help.

His favorite wrestlers to work with were Tim Horner, Brad Armstrong, Chris Candido, Brady Boone, and Owen Hart. Barry said they were all the same size and could go out and have a good match and not just get themselves over. His least favorite were Chris Adams. The stiffest in the ring according to Barry were Swede Hanson and Stan Hansen.

Back to the WWF in the 1980’s, Barry is asked about the sex scandals. He said that he heard about it but never had seen anything happen. He puts over Pat Patterson for helping him with his career.

Barry talks about Owen Hart and how he wrestled Owen’s first match in the WWF. Barry said that Owen wanted to rehearse before the match and Barry said you could not do that in the WWF. Barry then said that Owen’s death should have never happened as he did not need to come down from the ceiling because he was a worker. Barry said that someone like the Ultimate Warrior needs a gimmick like that to cover up his work.

When asked about drugs, Barry said he never used anything and would catch shit from some of the boys for that but that he never traveled around anyone who used.

Barry is asked about working for Jim Herd in the NWA. He is asked about working with “The Juicer” Art Barr and said they had some good matches but did not hang out with him outside of the ring.

After leaving the WWF, he went to work for Global Wrestling for Joe Pedecino. He said that he came in on the tail end of the territory and was treated well and got his rent-a-car and hotel paid for. He said that he beat Jerry Lynn for the Light Heavyweight Title.

Now, Barry is asked about working as the Red Knight with Shawn Michaels for the Survivor Series. He said that Terry Taylor went home sick and they needed a replacement so they gave Barry the mask and told him not to do his mannerisms. Barry said that he suffered a concussion in that match as Bret kicked him in the head. He talks about working TV the next night and took a hiptoss from Mo (Men on a Mission) and remembered holding his head and got through the match then left to get an MRI.

Barry worked for All Japan. He said that Steve Williams was great and that Stan Hansen could be a bit scary in the ring to work with. He puts over Kenta Kobashi as a person and a worker.

On beating Skip (Chris Candido), Barry talks about the events leading up to the match. He said that he got to the arena in Jersey and Kevin Nash called him aside and told him that he was going over but Barry thought he was joking. After that, Patterson explained to Barry that they were going to put him over and said that he got to call his own finish. Barry said that Candido was a great guy but got mixed up with the wrong crowd and ended up becoming addicted to drugs. He said that one day he would be hyper and the next his eyes were rolling around.

When he teamed with Hakushi, Barry thought it was fun. He also traveled with him and tried to help him speak English. At that time, he traveled with him and Glen Jacobs (Kane).

Barry is asked about the Kliq and said that they never bothered him but ignored Scott Hall, saying he had a big mouth. He said that HHH is cocky but respectful in the ring. Barry said that he always got along with Kevin Nash.

On the subject of the tension between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart, Barry said that he heard of it but never saw anything. Barry also said that he always prepared for his matches before hand and was not screwing around before the show and if he was on early, he would shower after the match then leave.

Barry signed a two-year contract with WCW in 1998. At first, he worked all three shows (Nitro, Thunder, Saturday Night) then he only worked on the Saturday Night shows but still got paid the same. One day, he did not get a phone call and still do this day was never told that he was released.

He is asked about the lucha libre style then talks about how they went too fast and it lost the crowd after a while. He also said that anyone could point out how some of the stuff was too choreographed and that it smartened up the fans. Barry said that he was not into the hardcore style and that you could see that for free at a bar.

Barry said that he was supposed to work a program with Alan Funk and they went as far as filming vignettes but Barry got released before it happened. He also said that Evan Karageis was a jabroni.

When asked about being a Jewish wrestler and if he had any difficulties because of that. Barry said he dealt with a few jokes but that was about all.

He talks about being on the road and how he watched his money. Barry said he only concerns were getting a motel, rent-a-car, and to a gym. He was not going to ring up $500 bar tabs as he did not drink to begin with. He talks about how Rick Martel, who he calls a great guy, always watched what he spent and has become a millionaire as a result. The interviewer pokes fun at Barry for being frugal and he responds by joking that he will stretch him out.

Barry is asked about TNA being a viable competitor to the WWE. He said that he wrote a letter to Jeff Jarrett in the infancy of TNA but was told that they did not need him. Barry felt disrespected by that and said that there are “jack-offs” like Vince Russo in charge and recalls back in WCW when he called Russo 20 times and never got a call back. He calls Russo a “mark” and said that in the WWF, Russo wrote and filmed his vignettes with Hakushi back in the WWF. Barry goes on a rant about Russo having Toby Keith come into TNA and suplex Jarrett, stating how it shows the fans that anyone could be a wrestler and likens it to him going up to Dan Marino or Michael Vick and telling them they could be a quarterback.

He also did not like the “Tough Enough” show as he said that the are drive around to practice and living in a million dollar show and was weak but admits that it was just done to compete with other reality shows and had run its course.

When asked if he feels that he is one of the most underrated wrestlers of all-time, Barry said that he is up there. He said that he was trained and had fans and even other wrestlers say that he should be getting a push. He recalls once in the WWF that Scott Steiner came up to him and questioned why Vince wasn’t doing anything with him. Barry said other guys that had talent and never got much of a chance were Reno Riggins and Al Perez, who he thinks left the WWF after refusing to job to the Ultimate Warrior. Barry also points out how he got pushes in other territories.

He is asked about working with Booker T and Stevie Ray in the GWF. Barry said that they both were very green and how Booker is a good guy and that he is a good worker today.

Barry tells a story about Mick Foley while in the NWA. He said that Ole Anderson was in charge and did not like gimmicks, especially Cactus Jack. Barry said that he saw Cactus backstage, who told Barry that he would not be here long because Ole did not like gimmicks and was fired within a few weeks. Barry said that Foley was even more frugal than he was on the road.

Back to the GWF, Barry talks about how the rings at the Sporatorium were drilled into the cement and were the stiffest rings in the world.

Barry is asked about working with the Handsome Stranger (Marcus Bagwell) in the GWF and said he was polite with him. He tells a story about how he put him in a bow-and-arrow lock and Bagwell told him to stop because he worked his legs at the gym that day. Barry then said that he would put the belt on Bagwell and that he had a great gimmick and was a good technical wrestler and what he calls a “wrestler’s body.”

When asked on who came up with the pat on the back, he said that he did in college after he beat a guy in the match and did it after he left the mat but ended up getting points deducted.

On the funniest rib that he ever saw, Barry tells a story about Mr. Fuji grabbed a turd from the toilet and chased the Barbarian around the locker room. Mr. Fuji is fucking crazy. He also tells a story of Ivan Putski falling asleep on the ring apron at the building in Hamburg, PA where they used to tape television and someone, he thinks it might have been Mr. Fuji, stuck tape on him and lit the bottom of it on fire and it eventually got to Putski’s foot as he woke up.

Barry is asked about someone shitting in his food. He tells a story about something that happened in 1996 or 1997 (Barry is probably wrong about the year) while at a television taping. Apparently, Davey Boy and Luger were pissed that there were no more egg whites and thought that Barry was to blame for the situation for some reason. After that, they would bring food with him for the next show and on the bus, Barry said that he could smell shit from one of the trays that he asked for and just put it in the trash and never put the rib over. He said that someone else put Luger’s boots into a sink filled with water after that. He then says that who cares about ribs as Luger went to jail and Davey is deceased while he is still alive and even after all of that, he doesn’t even know if they did that.

He is asked about some questions. His favorite territory was Florida. His favorite opponent was Owen Hart. He would like to wrestle Kurt Angle today.

Barry thinks that he might still be able to work today but now works as a nutritionist and focuses on that. He works for a small company that sells supplements, herbs, and homeopathic products. Barry also said that he went to school for that. He would have no problem speaking about the business or doing autograph seminars. He then talks about Pat Patterson once telling him that 70% of this business is in the locker room and 30% is in the ring.

They close with some name association:

Pat Patterson: good mind for the business

Vince Russo: “jerkoff mark”

Jim Ross: Thought he was a decent guy

Hulk Hogan: Great guy.

Vader: “no comment” then says he is in the same class as Bradshaw, meaning that he doesn’t even want to put them over by mentioning their names.

Vince McMahon Jr: Calls him a cutthroat businessman.

Junkyard Dog: Great guy and was very passive.

Percy Pringle: Good guy who likes to rib and goof around

Paul Heyman: Doesn’t care for him at all. He recalls a story of Paul coming to Florida with a guy named “Tombstone” who started by taking pictures. One day, he was traveling with Heyman, who was pissing him off, so Barry said that he slapped him. He said that Heyman never booked him when he was in ECW as a result.

Bobby Eaton: Says that he and Barry Darsow were the nicest guys in the business.

Jim Cornette: Did not trust him when he worked in the office for the WWF.

Barry closes by saying that he wants to close out his career on a good note and plugs his website before thanking his fans.

Final Thoughts: Well, Barry is certainly a guy who took pride in his work. He also took pride in the fact that he abstained from overspending, drinking, and drugs and as a result, saved the money he had earned in wrestling.

Although he seemed to not like a few guys, the only one who he really buried was the Ultimate Warrior. He knocked him on several occasions throughout the interview. He also made it known that he disliked Bradshaw and Vader but declined to talk about them, stating that he did not want to “get them over” by mentioning their names. He just left it as not liking them and not wanting to waste his time talking about them.

I thought this was a good interview. Barry not getting a push might have resulted in his abstaining from hanging out with the boys afterwards but he was on the smaller side at a time when bigger guys were getting pushed. Barry did not seem bitter about his career, although said that he wished he got pushed and made more money, but was content over the fact that he was able to save a good deal.

I recommend this interview. Some watching might think he comes off as being self-important and thinking he was a bigger deal than he really was but Barry actually took pride in the fact that he got people over. But yeah, I thought this was a decent shoot.

This one covers Barry Windham reflecting on WCW in 1991. I also have a Lanny Poffo review that coversp why Randy isn't in the HOF. It's linked at the bottom of the page above.

Hope you enjoy – from one fan to another!

Yeah, Barry is one of my favorite wrestlers ever from that era, but he's a guy who lost ALL passion for the business a long time ago, so I can see why an interview like this would be a disappointment. He really should have been a WWE producer ala Michael Hayes by now because he had a brilliant mind for THIS BUSINESS and all the right connections.

I know RAW has you feeling melancholy, so maybe the director of Beyond the Mat will cheer you up. He revealed why he won't be attending Foley's induction, Linda McMahon's reaction to the film, and his thoughts on Jake the Snake's so called recovery. Plus, as a bonus, Barry Blaustein shared his two cents on the last segment of RAW! HEY BUDDY!